UK 
A woman with strawberry blonde hair wearing glasses and a headset sits at an office desk looking at a computer screen. 
Comparison demonstrating artwork with incomplete background colour bleed (incorrect) versus full colour extending completely across the bleed area (correct) 
Comparison showing text placed too close to the trimming edge (incorrect) versus text kept safely inside a 3 mm non-text margin (correct). We ensure text and important design elements sit safely inside the safe area, so nothing gets cut off.
Comparison showing a blurry, low-resolution graphic illustration (incorrect) versus a crisp, high-resolution vector image (correct). We review image clarity at your chosen print size to prevent blurriness, low resolution, or pixelation.
Comparison illustrating a 10-page document failing to meet a 12-page minimum requirement (incorrect) versus a complete 12-page setup (correct). We confirm your uploaded page count matches the exact specifications selected in your order.
Advanced artwork checks
In addition to the standard setup checks above, here are some of the advanced technical reviews included with your Professional File Check. Scroll down to our FAQs for a full list of checks included in the service.
Comparison showing a swing tag hole punch overlapping the brand title text (incorrect) versus proper layout spacing that avoids overlapping the hole (correct). We ensure spiral binding, drill holes, and thumb cuts don’t overlap key design elements. We also verify that custom shape files use vector paths and check Personalisation artwork for missing glyphs.
Comparison illustrating special finish lines drawn too thinly (incorrect) versus highlighted with a clear, prominent thick line for printing (correct). We check that foil artwork is set up correctly, ensuring lines are not too thin or overly intricate. We also confirm that foiled elements align precisely with the base print design.
Comparison showing artwork supplied as a two-page spread (incorrect) versus artwork supplied as individual single pages in sequence (correct). We check that multipage files are supplied as single pages (not reader's spreads), that page order and rotation are correct on folded artwork, and that no text is placed on perfect bound spines under 5mm wide.
Comparison showing a document layout containing corrupt or broken elements (incorrect) versus a valid, error-free document file (correct). How to add a Professional File Check
Option to add a Professional File Check for £2.99 before continuing to basket. 
A4 Posters product selection with the option to add a Professional File Check for £2.99 + VAT. Or select a Professional File Check in your basket before completing your order. Apply it to individual items or your entire basket.
A File Check reviews your artwork for technical issues before it goes to print.
Our Professional File Check includes a manual review by our in-house technical print specialists for a small additional fee of £2.99 per item. They carry out detailed, print-specific checks to help identify technical issues before your artwork goes to print, giving you added peace of mind.
Please note: Our service focuses solely on the technical requirements of your artwork for print. It does not include design reviews, proofreading, text editing or spelling checks.
Our Professional File Check can fix minor eligible technical issues where possible. If an issue can’t be corrected by our team, we’ll contact you to explain what needs to be changed before your artwork goes to print.
Please be aware that our service focuses solely on the technical requirements of your artwork for print. It does not include design reviews, proofreading, text editing or spelling checks.
- Choose a Professional File Check at artwork upload or checkout for a more detailed review by our in-house technical print specialists. Our team will manually examine your artwork for a range of print-specific technical issues and complex elements you may have missed.
- If we identify an issue that needs your attention, we’ll notify you before your file goes to print, giving you the opportunity to make any necessary changes and prepare your artwork for production with added peace of mind.
Not unless changes are needed to your artwork. Here’s how it works:
- If your artwork passes checks: Your order goes straight to print, with no impact on your delivery date.
- If changes are required: Our technical print team will contact you. Your delivery timeline will pause while you update and re-upload your file. Once your updated artwork is approved, your order moves straight to print.
We may briefly hold production to give you the opportunity to review and resolve any issues, helping protect your design and ensuring your final order arrives looking its best.
File Checks are for anyone who wants extra confidence that their artwork is ready to print. Our Professional File Check is particularly useful if you:
- Are new to print and would like an expert to review your artwork before production.
- Have complex artwork involving folds, cutting, foil, binding or other finishing elements that may be missed by our automated checks.
- Have an important print job and want extra peace of mind before your artwork goes to print.
- Simply want reassurance from a second set of expert eyes to help ensure your files are technically ready for production.
Our in-house technical print specialists manually review your artwork for eligible technical setup issues, as outlined in the "What Does a Professional File Check Include?" FAQ below.
If an issue needs your attention, we’ll notify you with details of what needs to be updated. Your order will temporarily be placed on hold until a revised file is submitted and approved.
Please note: The service doesn't include design proofreading, text editing, spelling checks or artwork design reviews.
If you choose a Professional File Check, you can select it for all files in your basket or individual jobs. The service costs £2.99 + VAT per job checked, so you’ll only pay for the files you choose to have manually reviewed.
Upgrade to our Professional File Check for extra reassurance before your artwork goes to print. Our in-house technical print specialists will manually review your files for a detailed range of print-specific issues, helping identify potential problems before production.
It’s particularly useful if you’re new to print, working with complex artwork or producing an important print job where you want an extra set of expert eyes. A Professional File Check provides an additional layer of scrutiny, helping you feel more confident that your artwork is ready for production and will come off the press as intended.
A Professional File Check costs just £2.99 + VAT per job — a small additional fee for added peace of mind.
If you have multiple jobs in your basket, you can choose which files you’d like to have checked, so you only pay for the jobs you select.
- Image quality at print size (resolution)
- Whether bleed has been added
- Correct number of pages has been uploaded
- Text or line art is not too close to the trim edge (that they are outside of the recommended safe area)
- That the PDF is not corrupt
- Borders are not too thin or uneven
- Foiled lines are not too thin or intricate
- Foiled artwork is not misaligned with print artwork
- Spiral bound holes/wires are not too close to important design elements/text
- Drill holes will not go through text
- Thumb cut area will not go through text
- No missing glyphs for jobs with Personalisation
- CSV files for jobs with Personalisation don’t have corrupt names
- Templates have not been left on artwork
- Maximum print area has not been exceeded
- Files are not password protected
- Files are not blank
- Number of Versions matches the order details
- Any custom shape cut files are set up as vector (Bespoke Service orders only)
- Multipage files are not set up as ‘readers spreads’
- Pages on folded artwork are in running order and rotated correctly
- No text on a Perfect Bound spine that is less than 5mm in width
During a Professional File Check, our team are not able to check the following:
- Spelling and grammar / proof reading
- General design including layout and placement
- Colour mode (e.g. RGB, CMYK)
- Size of text
- Overprint settings (this should not be on)
- Calendar dates
- Whether bitmaps have been used on vector files (causing unintended colour differences)
- Checking for text added via Acrobat form fields (this will not be printed)
- Page rotation on spiral bound documents
- Gradients (we advise these include noise to avoid being stepped)
- Checking QR codes work
A Professional File Check is a pre-production check, and doesn’t include any additional quality checks after printing, aside from our standard quality control process.
Our File Check focusses on the technical aspects of getting your artwork print-ready, helping ensure it meets the requirements of your chosen product. While we check technical elements such as file setup and print specifications, creative design elements like spelling, grammar, layout and colour choices aren’t included in the review.
A Professional File Check only covers pre-press artwork and technical file setup before your order goes to production. It does not include a post-print physical quality check after your item has been printed. However, every order goes through our standard quality control process to help ensure your printed products meet our high quality standards.
What is a file check?
What is a file check?
A File Check reviews your artwork for technical issues before it goes to print.
Our Professional File Check includes a manual review by our in-house technical print specialists for a small additional fee of £2.99 per item. They carry out detailed, print-specific checks to help identify technical issues before your artwork goes to print, giving you added peace of mind.
Please note: Our service focuses solely on the technical requirements of your artwork for print. It does not include design reviews, proofreading, text editing or spelling checks.
Will your file checking service fix any issues?
Our Professional File Check can fix minor eligible technical issues where possible. If an issue can’t be corrected by our team, we’ll contact you to explain what needs to be changed before your artwork goes to print.
Please be aware that our service focuses solely on the technical requirements of your artwork for print. It does not include design reviews, proofreading, text editing or spelling checks.
How does the file checking service work?
How does the file checking service work?
- Choose a Professional File Check at artwork upload or checkout for a more detailed review by our in-house technical print specialists. Our team will manually examine your artwork for a range of print-specific technical issues and complex elements you may have missed.
- If we identify an issue that needs your attention, we’ll notify you before your file goes to print, giving you the opportunity to make any necessary changes and prepare your artwork for production with added peace of mind.
Is my artwork checked by a person?
Is my artwork checked by a person?
Will using your file checking service impact my delivery time?
Will using your file checking service impact my delivery time?
Not unless changes are needed to your artwork. Here’s how it works:
- If your artwork passes checks: Your order goes straight to print, with no impact on your delivery date.
- If changes are required: Our technical print team will contact you. Your delivery timeline will pause while you update and re-upload your file. Once your updated artwork is approved, your order moves straight to print.
We may briefly hold production to give you the opportunity to review and resolve any issues, helping protect your design and ensuring your final order arrives looking its best.
Who are file checks for?
Who are file checks for?
File Checks are for anyone who wants extra confidence that their artwork is ready to print. Our Professional File Check is particularly useful if you:
- Are new to print and would like an expert to review your artwork before production.
- Have complex artwork involving folds, cutting, foil, binding or other finishing elements that may be missed by our automated checks.
- Have an important print job and want extra peace of mind before your artwork goes to print.
- Simply want reassurance from a second set of expert eyes to help ensure your files are technically ready for production.
What happens if an issue is found?
What happens if an issue is found?
Our in-house technical print specialists manually review your artwork for eligible technical setup issues, as outlined in the "What Does a Professional File Check Include?" FAQ below.
If an issue needs your attention, we’ll notify you with details of what needs to be updated. Your order will temporarily be placed on hold until a revised file is submitted and approved.
Please note: The service doesn't include design proofreading, text editing, spelling checks or artwork design reviews.
Can I print multiple files with file checks at once?
Can I print multiple files with file checks at once?
If you choose a Professional File Check, you can select it for all files in your basket or individual jobs. The service costs £2.99 + VAT per job checked, so you’ll only pay for the files you choose to have manually reviewed.
Why should I upgrade to a Professional File Check?
Why should I upgrade to a Professional File Check?
Upgrade to our Professional File Check for extra reassurance before your artwork goes to print. Our in-house technical print specialists will manually review your files for a detailed range of print-specific issues, helping identify potential problems before production.
It’s particularly useful if you’re new to print, working with complex artwork or producing an important print job where you want an extra set of expert eyes. A Professional File Check provides an additional layer of scrutiny, helping you feel more confident that your artwork is ready for production and will come off the press as intended.
How much does a Professional File Check cost?
How much does a Professional File Check cost?
A Professional File Check costs just £2.99 + VAT per job — a small additional fee for added peace of mind.
If you have multiple jobs in your basket, you can choose which files you’d like to have checked, so you only pay for the jobs you select.
What does a Professional File Check include?
What does a Professional File Check include?
- Image quality at print size (resolution)
- Whether bleed has been added
- Correct number of pages has been uploaded
- Text or line art is not too close to the trim edge (that they are outside of the recommended safe area)
- That the PDF is not corrupt
- Borders are not too thin or uneven
- Foiled lines are not too thin or intricate
- Foiled artwork is not misaligned with print artwork
- Spiral bound holes/wires are not too close to important design elements/text
- Drill holes will not go through text
- Thumb cut area will not go through text
- No missing glyphs for jobs with Personalisation
- CSV files for jobs with Personalisation don’t have corrupt names
- Templates have not been left on artwork
- Maximum print area has not been exceeded
- Files are not password protected
- Files are not blank
- Number of Versions matches the order details
- Any custom shape cut files are set up as vector (Bespoke Service orders only)
- Multipage files are not set up as ‘readers spreads’
- Pages on folded artwork are in running order and rotated correctly
- No text on a Perfect Bound spine that is less than 5mm in width
What does a Professional File Check not include?
What does a Professional File Check not include?
During a Professional File Check, our team are not able to check the following:
- Spelling and grammar / proof reading
- General design including layout and placement
- Colour mode (e.g. RGB, CMYK)
- Size of text
- Overprint settings (this should not be on)
- Calendar dates
- Whether bitmaps have been used on vector files (causing unintended colour differences)
- Checking for text added via Acrobat form fields (this will not be printed)
- Page rotation on spiral bound documents
- Gradients (we advise these include noise to avoid being stepped)
- Checking QR codes work
A Professional File Check is a pre-production check, and doesn’t include any additional quality checks after printing, aside from our standard quality control process.
Will you check the creative elements of my artwork?
Will you check the creative elements of my artwork?
Our File Check focusses on the technical aspects of getting your artwork print-ready, helping ensure it meets the requirements of your chosen product. While we check technical elements such as file setup and print specifications, creative design elements like spelling, grammar, layout and colour choices aren’t included in the review.
Does a Professional File Check include a post-print quality check?
Does a Professional File Check include a post-print quality check?
A Professional File Check only covers pre-press artwork and technical file setup before your order goes to production. It does not include a post-print physical quality check after your item has been printed. However, every order goes through our standard quality control process to help ensure your printed products meet our high quality standards.
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